Lancashire-based PR agency Kenland Media Relations first launched in November last year.
It’s the brainchild of two former school friends, Emma Starrs (pictured, right) and Jane-Anne Ramones, who have over 30 years’ experience across retail and PR.
Here, co-founder and creative director shared how a recent week in her life went…
Monday
Mondays for me are exciting, I love that ‘blank page’ feeling about the possibilities of the week ahead. I put in my best writing work between 6am and 8am each day. It’s nice and quiet at that time and I find my ideas are fresh. Where that comes from, ruminating in my dreams etc, I don’t know, but in the morning I can join the dots in my thoughts and bring clients’ dreams into reality through creative storytelling, which is the essence of what I do. Today I’m working on a press release on family activities in the Cotswolds for a holiday cottage brand. I started my career in the Airtours press office, so it’s great to now be catering for clients in the travel sector.
Tuesday
Tuesdays include a focus on new business. We launched our new ‘Kenland’ brand this year and had our website built by Portfolio, a brilliant creative design agency in Bolton. There was a bit of serendipity at play when we launched, because it coincided with the launch of the Barbie film – it’s sheer luck that my own and my business partner Jane’s merged maiden names ‘Kenyon’ and ‘Leyland’ matched the name of Ken’s dreamscape in the film. Our corporate colours ended up being pink and purple too, so that was quite a nice little message from the universe that we’re on the right track!
Fashion is a big focus for us and today I’m shadowing a fashion buying trip with Patricia Harrison of Ceci Paolo, a fashion and lifestyle Emporium in Ledbury, Herefordshire. I’m fortunate enough to accompany her to Elliot House in Manchester to view an Australian brand called Alquema with beautifully vibrant dresses and occasionwear. It’s important to preview new collections to help us plan launch campaigns targeting fashion, bridal and women’s interest titles.
Wednesday
I meet up with Jane for lunch. She also runs a destination shopping outlet in Wrightington, and has the bricks and mortar inside knowledge our clients value. Whilst PR is an inexact science, by positively influencing customers’ perceptions, you shape their buying decisions. Sometimes clients might say “I didn’t get any directly traceable sales from that activity” but what is priceless is that you became more prominent in customers’ minds as somewhere they might buy from in future. And that impact grows over time and benefits the bottom line. We always say, “Lunch is on Ken”, the brand has a persona in our minds as a benevolent and distinguished older man – silly I know, but it adds tangibility and humour.
Thursday
After my early writing stint, I switch gears. I have a 13-year old daughter, so I do the school run myself. I see that as a privilege. We’re on the outskirts of Manchester, so fortunately traffic isn’t dreadful. Then it’s back to a coffee. I love a caffeine buzz. Quality coffee is one of the few remaining indulgences I allow myself. I’m health conscious, so nutrition is important. We represent a few personal trainers too, so whilst I don’t do everything they say, it’s important to have an understanding and respect your body because it helps with performance delivery and keeping your mental health straight . I go to boxing fitness training at Elite in Bolton four to five times a week in the evenings. I started two years ago and it’s quite honestly one of my best decisions and it’s something to look forward to and helps to destress at the end of the day.
Friday
Not the best day for pitching ideas and sending press releases, so I use Fridays to chase up existing opportunities and brainstorm for the following week. PR can at times feel like a sales job where you’re touting ideas. Sometimes you’re shouting into the void and sometimes you strike gold – but it’s that rush of winning that keeps your spirits up. As with each day, I monitor all the journalist enquiry services, as well as Twitter (we’ve decided it’s not called ‘X’) for contacts looking for information or expert sources.
I jump on those where possible because speed is important. Journalists need to turn things around quickly, especially in these days of digital media. Whilst I’m quick, I’m also very selective as to what we go after. And that shows in the results – we’ve achieved some fantastic results for often quite small clients and to get them national news coverage on a weekly (if not daily) basis is absolutely fantastic.
